Years ago, while perusing the shelves at the local Waldenbooks, I came upon a
crime/mystery novel by Lisa Scottoline, found I liked the description and bought
it. I breezed through the novel and decided to buy another. I ended up reading
quite a few novels by this author, but somehow got away from her books thanks to
G-POP.net and the need to add more variety in my reading materials for the folks
who have taken interest in my reviews. Recently, I was offered an opportunity
to read a new novel from Lisa Scottoline called After Anna. Having enjoyed her
other works, I jumped at the chance.

Before Anna,
Dr. Noah Alderman and his wife Maggie Ippolitti were very happy. Before they
were married, Noah, a
pediatric allergist, lost his first wife to
cancer and was
struggling to raise his son alone and Maggie had her own issues. Shortly after
giving birth to her daughter, Maggie began suffering the effects of post-partum psychosis. Though she got help for her illness, her husband
divorced her and
deemed her an unfit mother for Anna, moving her away and sending her to boarding schools.

When Noah and Maggie met, it was like a new beginning for both of them. They
knew instantly that they were meant for each other and Noah’s son was
immediately taken with his stepmother. Though now happy with Noah, Maggie
always held out hope that she would one day renew her relationship with her
daughter. And then, one day, she receives a call from Anna – she wants to meet
Maggie, wants to understand why her father kept Maggie out of her life. It is
only after the telephone call that Maggie learns her ex-husband and his entire
family were killed in a plane crash.

As
soon as the two meet, they hit it off right away and Maggie explains that much
of what Anna’s father told her was a lie. Anna decides she has had it with the
boarding school and wants to attend public school, living with Maggie and her
new family. The two immediately start on this plan, with Anna packing her
dorm room while Maggie speaks to both Anna’s Congreve School
therapist and Anna’s
financial advisor who lets her know that Anna will now be worth a small fortune,
being her father’s soul heir.

After Anna, well, the lives of Dr. Noah Alderman and Maggie Ippolliti will never
be the same. It begins with small things…little manipulative acts by Anna. But
then, there are telling comments and looks Anna directs towards Noah. Then
there are the allegations and a final disastrous moment that finds Noah on trial for murder wondering where he went wrong. After all, everything was fine before
Anna, but after Anna…

First, I must say that this book is a departure from the earlier stuff I read
from Lisa Scottoline. I was used to the legal crime thrillers from her earlier
years. After Anna is still an engrossing crime thriller and there are
still moments of legal battling here and there, but that’s where the
similarities end. What took me the longest to get used to was how the story
jockeys back and forth between the present, past and not so distant past. One
minute you’re with Noah in the back of the courthouse awaiting the
jury deliberations, wondering who he is accused of killing and whether or not he
actually did the deed. The next you are traveling back in time with Maggie as
she receives the first contact from Anna. Then you’re back in the courtroom for
closing arguments, only to be transported back to the first time Maggie meets
teenage Anna. Then it’s back again, this time with Noah arguing with his lawyer
over whether or not he should testify and then it’s back again. That could get
a little confusing, but as the back and forth continues, you begin to piece
together just what happened after Anna came into their lives and I loved that
little plot twist that took this story in a whole new direction.

One
thing I wasn’t thrilled with – an incident that takes place with Noah after the
jury verdict which I felt to be a little over the top. That being said, the
rest of the book was so captivating, I can overlook this less than believable
moment. I was totally engrossed in the lives of Noah and Maggie and I needed to
know just what had happened that landed Noah on trial for murder…and that
twist! I’m so glad that I got the opportunity to read a Lisa Scottoline novel
after all these years of absence on my part – After Anna reminded me just
how much I was missing.